This invention relates to apparatus for containing waste fluid for recovery purposes and, more particularly, to waste fluid containment and recovery apparatus for installation in-line with a piping system at a pair of interfacing flanges thereof comprising, a pan having a bottom and surrounding sidewalls, the bottom having a bore therethrough; and, flange interface means having a pair of opposed interfacing surfaces which interface with respective ones of the pair of interfacing flanges disposed around the bore for sealably connecting the bottom of the pan in line with the piping system.
For a long time, the art of oil well drilling and servicing has operated in a very basic fashion as shown in simplified form in FIG. 1. A pit 10 is typically dug in the ground 12 surrounding the pipe 14 which terminates in a well-head 16. Additional apparatus 18 is then connected to the well-head 16 by means of a connecting flange 18. The pit 10 may be anywhere from a few inches to several feet deep. As waste fluids are produced as part of the drilling and servicing processes, they simply drop by gravity into the pit.
With contemporary concern for contamination problems in the environment, it was quickly realized that the waste fluids entering the pit 10 can seep into the ground water supplies and cause serious contamination problems. Accordingly, governmental regulatory agencies started controlling such processes to assure that contamination does not take place. The use of such pits has been essentially outlawed since any spills of potentially hazardous fluids requires that the soil containing the spill be dug up and be disposed of at a hazardous waste disposal site. This, of course, can be a very costly undertaking. Thus, at this time, oil companies, and the like, who are the most seriously effected by such changes in public policy and regulations, are in a quandary as to how to best proceed with their operations while minimizing the financial impact to them. Of course, simply doing business as usual and absorbing the costs of spills and paying any fines that are levied is not a viable alternative as public outrage at such an attitude would quickly result in appropriate pressures being put on the cognizant regulatory authorities and the blatantly infringing companies would be shut down.
Thus, it is an object of this invention to provide apparatus for catching and containing fluid waste by-products from drilling operations, and the like.
It is another object of this invention to provide apparatus for catching and containing fluid waste by-products in a manner which provides for the easy and inexpensive disposal of such fluids.
It is yet another object of this invention to provide apparatus for catching, containing, and disposing of fluid waste by-products which is simple and effective to use but low in cost to manufacture, install, and operate.
It is still another object of this invention to provide apparatus for catching, containing, and disposing of fluid waste by-products which does not interfere with normal operation of associated waste fluid-producing apparatus.
Other objects and benefits of the invention will become apparent from the detailed description which follows hereafter when taken in conjunction with the drawing figures which accompany it.